The True Value Of Designer Collaborations

Since 2009, there has been one young designer on everyone’s list of who to watch, French born designer Joseph Altuzarra. And if you don’t know his brand by now, his next project will surely turn him into a household name… Having worked at some of the biggest brands in the business, Joseph Altuzarra started out at Marc Jacobs before landing stints at both Rochas and Proenza Schouler until he ended up as Riccardo Tisci’s right hand man at Givenchy, all achieved in 4 years before launching his own label.

After winning the CDFA Womenswear Designer of the Year award in 2014, it has become clear that while he has the support of industry figures Anna Wintour and Carine Roitfeld, Altuzarra is still in need a loyal customer database in order to expand his label, but this is where his next project comes in to help.

September 14th sees the launch of Altuzarra for Target – a variation of his elevated every-day-wear that he is so well celebrated for but at an affordable price that has been in the works for the last 9 months. Setting out to create images that spoke to a modern day woman and not a girl, Altuzarra enlisted photographer Peter Lindbergh to shot Czech model Eva Herzigová for the campaign.

And while it’s a great opportunity for Altuzarra to offer designer products at a high street price, is there a point of creating the opportunity if there is then no follow up collection for the customer at an affordable price? Perhaps it would be more beneficial if he had his own entry level range like perfumes or denim that this customer could then continue purchasing from, but then again this isn’t what Altuzarra as a brand is about. Let’s hope that this collaboration is more than just financially beneficial for both parties.